The Trona Senior Citizens Center was the setting for the dedication of a tree in memory of lifelong resident Keith Sayre Jr., who passed away last month at the age of 57.

“As we approach Memorial Day, it seems appropriate to remember someone who’s been a real bright spot in our community,” said Center Manager Priscilla Benadom. “Keith Sayre Jr. passed on from this earth to another world way too soon, but we were all fortunate and blessed to have known him.”

Benadom said Sayre grew up in Trona and graduated high school with her sister.

“He was a very active part of the community,” she said.

She said Sayre was an active member of the Trona Elks Lodge and dedicated to fundraising efforts for the Elks Purple Pig, which is its major project.

“He raised almost a quarter of the annual Chuck Newberry Walkathon walking and collecting donations,” Benadom said. “He was really supportive of those events.”

She said Sayre was also a volunteer in several organizations.

“He helped his mom with a lot of the projects she was involved in,” she said.

Benadom said the senior center had financial difficulties in 2007.

“One of the cuts we decided to make was to no longer pay for water for the trees,” she said. “Blooming Sands Garden Club offered to care for the plants and keep our trees from dying. Not only did we save money, we were able to revive many of the plants that were on the verge of dying.”

She said June enlisted Keith’s help for the project.

“Pretty soon he became a regular,” said Benadom. “The ones who came down here, as often as every day, when the weather was hot, and he kept watering our plants.”

She said Sayre then began helping in other areas such picking up trash or something that needed to be done.

“We just didn’t realize the value of what he had done until he was no longer able to do it,” she said.